As is perhaps well known, in the past it has often been a problem to measure the condition of submerged pipes, namely, the amount of sediment in a pipe, the rate of flow in the pipe, and the depth of water flowing in the pipe.
This invention is of a device which has as an object (a) provision for measuring the depth of sediment on the floor of a generally horizontal sewer pipe accessible through a vertical shaft or manhole passageway and which is arranged below ground level and (b) the depth of water flow above the sediment in the pipe and (c) the rate of flow of the water in the pipe.
It is a general object of this invention to provide an improved measuring device for determining water flow rates in a submerged pipe which includes a first shaft with a sleeve movable with respect thereto so that the lower end of the shaft is adapted to be positioned on the floor of the pipe and the lower end of the sleeve is adapted by reason of axial displacement when it rests on a layer of sediment in the pipe to measure the depth of the sediment and a float tethered to the sleeve which floats on the water and is supported thereby and which includes a signal to indicate when the float is supported by the water instead of on suspension means which are provided to support the float when under the influence of gravity alone and which additionally, includes an apparatus for measuring the rate of flow of water past the float, whereby the information measured may be utilized in the manner set forth more fully hereinafter to measure the rate of flow of water through the pipe.
In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: